US market gets ready for near tablet-sized Samsung Galaxy Mega

US operator AT&T Inc has said it will start selling Samsung's Galaxy Mega from August 23 for $150, with a two-year service contract.

The Mega made its debut in Europe and Russia in May, but hasn't been available in the US until now. The device is also coming to Sprint and US Cellular, but dates haven't been announced for those carriers.

ABOUT THE DEVICE:
Samsung is known for big phones. Its flagship Galaxy S4 is 5 inches, while the Galaxy Note 2 is 5.5 inches. Apple's iPhone 5 is 4 inches. But this latest one is beyond big.

With a screen measuring 6.3 inches diagonally, the Galaxy Mega is almost as big as a 7-inch tablet. The difference: It makes phone calls.

Samsung says the Mega is a hybrid that combines the portability of a smartphone with the immersive experience that a tablet offers for movies, books, music and games.

The Mega includes many features available in other recent Galaxy phones, including Multi Window, which allows multitasking in a split screen, and Easy Mode, which reduces the number of features and choices for new smartphone users.

Samsung may have set the trend of introducing large smartphones, but at least one is getting smaller.

AT&T announced on Monday that it will start selling a smaller version of the HTC One. Called the HTC One Mini, it will have a 4.3-inch screen, compared to 4.7 inches on the standard model. It's also lighter, at 4.3 ounces against One's 5 ounces.

The One Mini will be about $100 cheaper than its big brother. It will be available starting Friday for $100 with a two-year service agreement.